MSC loses luggage and accepts zero responsibilty!!!!

Item: MSC Starlight Cruises
Rating: 1
Author: Glenda P

After a 26-day cruise, we were scheduled to disembark at Durban Harbour on Tuesday, 01 November 2016 at 08h00. On the 31st of October 2016, we were instructed to tag our luggage (white tags for us) and leave it outside our cabin door before 12 midnight. We had 5 suitcases standing outside our cabin door. When we left our cabin the next morning, all the luggage had been taken away. We were the first group to disembark as we had a MSC scheduled excursion in Durban booked. We cleared customs and entered the large hall where we had to retrieve our luggage. The luggage was grouped according to the colour of the tags. Four of our suitcases were there but 1 large black one was missing. The 3 of us searched for the missing suitcase to no avail. We reported it to the helpers there as well as the MSC staff. They all helped us look but it was nowhere to be found. By then the excursion bus was getting impatient waiting on us to leave. We spoke to Samantha (Sam from MSC) and she filled out a lost luggage form. She explained that the suitcase might still be on the ship and she would try to get it to us at the airport as our flight was only at 17h40. She said she would try to send it with the shuttle service if it is found or otherwise send it to Cape Town if found after our flight leaves. At NO TIME did she mention that we would be liable for the courier cost!!!! If she had, we would have waited there until the suitcase was found - but at this time MSC had no idea where THEY misplaced the suitcase! She urged us to leave as the excursion bus was waiting for us. She took my daughter's phone number and promised to call if she had news. While on the excursion, Sam called at around 13h20 to say that the suitcase had been found and she would try and get it to the airport. After our excursion, we were dropped at the airport. We spent more than THREE hours at the airport. My daughter then received a call to say that there wasn't a shuttle service available to bring the suitcase to the airport. On Wednesday, 02 November 2016, I received a call from Ms Unitha Gobi. Her opening line was..."Guess what? I'm looking at your suitcase." She asked for my email address to send details regarding the return of my suitcase. I never received any email. On Tuesday, 08 November 2016, she called again and said that the emails were not being delivered. She then explained about getting a courier service at my own cost to collect the suitcase. A heated discussion followed. I explained that I had only followed instructions from MSC by putting my suitcase outside my cabin. THEY lost my suitcase and should be held accountable for it. She then called my daughter to ask what was discussed with Sam and then went to check with Sam, which turned out to be a he said she said situation and MSC trying to cover their mess by saying that surely Sam would have mentioned the courier costs would be for our account!!!!! She NEVER ONCE said this...... At NO STAGE did any MSC employee offer any apology for the inconvenience of losing my suitcase. They made it seem as if I misplaced it somehow when it is their staff who takes it off the ship and arranges it in the luggage hall. I am disappointed and disgusted at the way I have been treated. My money was good enough for the cruise but the after sales service sucks!!! They clearly have no idea what Customer service is!!!! I will DEFINITELY NOT recommend MSC to any of my family or friends. When people ask me abut my cruise, the first thing I say is that it is now more than a week and I still do not have my luggage. All the good things I have experienced about MSC has now been negated by their callous treatment of my case when THEY are responsible for losing my luggage. It certainly leaves a bitter taste in my mouth!!!!!! :-(

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